Yameen to file defamation suit against death commission member

Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has decided to file a defamation suit against Misbah Abbas, a member of a presidential commission investigating deaths and disappearances, after the commissioner accused the opposition leader of helping those accused of being involved in the murder of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla to flee the country.

At a press conference held by the commission on Thursday, Misbah said that it has come to light some of the perpetrators of the act and that top government officials had close links with the perpetrators of Rilwan's murder. Misbah said:

Yameen's lawyers, in a statement issued on Thursday evening, denied Misbah's remarks and said that he was also aware that his comments were "heresay". The statement also said that Yameen is the opposition party's presidential candidate for next year's presidential elections and Misbah made the remarks with an intention to gain political mileage for a particular party.

"We consider it a low-level political stunt by Misbah Abbas to make such baseless statements about our client by defaming our client in order to gain political mileage and reduce his popularity among the people," the statement read.

Noting this, the statement said that the charge sheet in the case is currently being prepared to prosecute Misbah for defaming Yameen.

"All necessary legal action will be taken in this regard," the statement read.